After being called out by 2Pac on the scathing diss track “Against All Odds”, Haitian Jack’s name grew to mythical status. After almost two decades of silence, Shakur’s former associate reappears to set the record straight.
As a high-profile club promoter in the 1990’s, Jack rubbed shoulders with the who’s who in the entertainment business, including the late great Tupac Shakur. Then things between the two friends quickly became hostile.
While he was not very vocal during his several tribulations with Shakur, the man born Jaques Agnant had a reputation that spoke loud enough to get the attention of the entire Hip-Hop community.
Now in an exclusive interview with HipHopWired.com, Haitian Jack reemerges and discusses his high and lows with Pac, his views on Jimmy Henchman, the blood on Suge Knight’s hands and denies being a government informant.
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HipHopWired.com: For those who are not familiar with your history or might have heard rumblings, rumors and half truths, how did you get tied into the New York City Hip-Hop community?
Haitian Jack: I got into it with Wyclef [Jean]; we are blood related through our father. That’s how I pretty much got into the music business. But when I got into the inner circle of the Hip-Hop culture is when me and Pac started hanging out back in ‘93 when he was doing Above The Rim. Then later on other things lead to other things and then people put things in his head, which created a bad blood between him and me. But I never had any bad blood towards him though. A lot of those things will get cleared up sooner or later. I actually had nothing to do with what happened to Pac. I never played a role in anything.
“The thing is Pac did nothing to that girl, neither did I and neither did anyone else.”-Haitian Jack
HHW: It is said Biggie introduced you to Pac, is that true?
Haitian Jack: No. I met Pac at a club in Manhattan. The name of the club at the time was The Octagon. I was having a little party in there and a friend of mine told me Pac was asking who I was because he saw everybody sitting around me with a lot of champagne, a lot of women, a lot of guys. He was like “Who’s that guy?” My friend was like “That’s Jack, do you want to meet him?” Pac said “Yeah” and my friend checked in with me first.
So my friend came over to me and said “Tupac wants to meet you.” I wasn’t really familiar with him like that yet. I asked my friend “Tupac?” My friend said “Yeah the kid that shot the cops in Atlanta.” I said. “Okay I know who you’re talking about, bring him over and get him a drink.” From that night we started a friendship. He came and hung out with me at Scores and we watched that Riddick Bowe [versus Evander Holyfield] fight where the guy parachuted into the ring. We watched the fight in the VIP room of Scores.
I got him a bottle of Louis XIII [de Rémy Martin], Cuban cigars and he was like, “Wow man this is the life.” I told him this is the life I live but I don’t bring attention to myself. I do what I do with my friends and that’s it. I kept telling him while he was on those New York streets, they do not like people who shoot cops. This is a cop state. The best thing for you to do is to stay in the studio, stay focused, do your music and come check me when you’re free; because at the time I was hanging out in Queens mostly. He said, “Cool I’m going to do that.”
But when I was around him he started drinking, smoking and hanging around with these Rap dudes, they took him a whole another direction, you know?
HHW: How was it like hanging with Pac when you two were still friendly? At one point you two were inseparable, almost like brothers.
Haitian Jack: We were like brothers and a lot of people don’t realize I did a lot of for Pac. I didn’t do anything against Pac, I did a lot for him. I tried to mentor him because I know the streets a lot better than he does and I know how the law goes. But hanging out with him was a lot of fun. We laughed, we joked a lot, he loved the respect and recognition I got in New York and I think he wanted that same respect. Everywhere I went to in Brooklyn were really vicious hoods. Even though certain hoods didn’t get along with other hoods, they all got along with me. He wondered how I was cool with them all and I said “whatever they got going on is not my problem and when they see each other they’ll deal with their problems. When I’m there though it’s a different kind of vibe.” I told him not to get caught up in that kind of sh-t, find your lane and stay in it.
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Photo: Courtesy of Haitian Jack
